The ballot of the sad cafe

La Cieca (pictured, center) reminds the cher public that it is very rapidly becoming “that time of year again,” and so, and while we have a brief respite from the flurry of Met press releases, you are invited to select your most anticipated performances of the fall.

Note, please, that you may vote for up to five of the nominated opera presentations, and write-in nominations are permissible. The polls will close at midnight on Tuesday, September 13, at which point we’ll all know where, in fact, the elite will meet.

I learned that early on. ALWAYS put on your reading glasses for the parterre. Every word counts….

Camille

oh yessir.

As I remember the startled hind/bird affair of last fall which I provoked through a lack of eyewear. ALWAYS don ones reading glasses.

La Cieca, it is Wednesday and NO INTERMISSION FEATURE in which the cher public may chat and chew has showed up. Whyfore?

Thanks.

OpinionatedNeophyte

While not listed, the most anticipated production this fall for me is the one I’ll be attending. The Dec 15 Fille where (baring cancellation) I will finally get to see Brownlee again after about 6 years. The presence of Nino M is kind of irritating but it is what it is.

Outside of what I will attend I can. not. wait. for Netrebko-palooza during Anna Bolena. Watching the watchers will be half the fun, the chats should be packed and who knows the performance may actually be as demented as we’re likely to see these days. Sadly, nothing else on the list even comes close. Meh.

Camille

This morning I heard two excerpts of a new recording La Nino has put out and does she have one peculiar sounding voice. Take your earmuffs as it will be December in New York, after all!

danpatter

I’ve been listening to La Nino’s new “deluxe” recital, and I’m afraid my reaction is, who is she sleeping with? The booklet with its 10 or so glamor shots and the paean of praise heaped on in the accompanying article (the texts and translations are appreciated, however) are simply not justified by what I’m hearing. She is unafraid of high notes, but, at least as recorded here, they’re pretty painful, and she screams her way through the passagiio. Phrases showing some care and beauty are followed by phrases that make one flinch. This is a gorgeous woman, but her technique is sorely lacking. “Can belto” is not what’s wanted here. Back to school, lady.

Scream is what she did a lot of as Gilda last season. Really a crude performance. I shudder to think of her Marie sung like that and with all that Pelly/Dessay-schtick on top of it. It was fine for Nat, but they make all her successors imitate her slavishly (at least Damrau and that unfortunate cover had to). I admit, though, I wouldn’t mind seeing Dame Joan in that undershirt at the old ironing board!

atalaya

The Oct 1 Barber will be Javier Camarena’s Met debut and Isabel Leonard’s Met major role debut as Rosina. She’s been at the Met as Cherubino, Stephano, and Dorabella but Rosina is a significant step up. Last two Rosinas were Joyce Didonato and Diana Damrau. We’ll get to see (ok… ‘hear’) how Leonard compares and if she is one of the next superstars. Additional plus is Mattei as Figaro.

I’m not sure if I can take another Boheme but the under-appreciated Hei-Kyung Hong as Mimi might be worth seeing. Her Juliette last year (replacing AG) was very good. Yes, she’s been doing this role for years. Nothing new but still might be a good night.

There is a video of her Mimi from Canada somewhere if you need to sample it. The production is not much to look at and the rest of the cast is not going to set crotches on fire, but her Mimi, omg!

semira mide

HKH was also the most exquisite Countess in The Marriage of Figaro -- her pianissimos drifted to the Family Circle in the most divine fashion. Her portrayal reminded one that the Countess was once the young girl who enchanted the Count -- but that was another opera, of course.

Quanto Painy Fakor

And this is more exciting:
Bet that didn’t cost 14 million rubels.

aulus agerius

The visuals are good and special effects excellent….but the music sucks. Rossini writes some lovely tunes here, esp in the ballet IMO.

I am totally smitten with the Voice of Jonas Kaufmann and hope his “surgery” is minor and he will keep this commitment. I’ve yet to hear Poplavskaya in the house. From what I’ve heard she leaves me confused. Sometimes I adore her and other times I throw things at the speakers. I want to hear her al vivo.

The main reason I’m coming for this is STEPHANIE BLYTHE! She blew me away as Fricka last year and I’m salivating to hear if she can wrap that big, rich voice around a Handel Roulade.

Betsy_Ann_Bobolink

Speaking of things to fret and stew about --

If a tumor is benign, announcement is made immediately.

If there is trouble, the pr people take a few days to find the right way to word the announcement.

It’s been a few days.

Quanto Painy Fakor

Harold

On the other hand, Jonas Kaufmann is back on the website of Opera Orchestra of New York for Adriana Lecouvreur.

Pelleas

Blythe has sung a terrific Eduige, so I’m thinking you chose well and will find yourself rewarded.
Scholl is also remarkable, and I’m looking forward to Costanza. I’m reserving comment on a certain someone for a reason.

javier

currently there is no one else around who can sing rodelinda better than fleming, so i’m looking forward to seeing the hd in december.
also, netrebko’s bolena is an absolute must.
the rest seems very dull.

Nerva Nelli

“currently there is no one else around who can sing rodelinda better than fleming”

Trust me she can and HAS — her duet with Daniels in Giulio Cesare around the turn of the century made her queen of the Met mezzos. This is her third time round as Eduige and I’m glad you won’t miss it this time! I wish the met would let her do Cesare — after all they cast her as Orfeo. It’s not like she wasn’t believable in drag king mode. They should stage Ariodante or Orlando for her, but Gelb isn’t keen on Handel operas, I hear.

paddypig

looking forward to the anna bolena with angela meade. also the faust with kaufmann, guess i will have to endure miss P. I think the adriana is a crapshoot, will she or won’t she show up. will she have a hissy fit and cancel. or will she be a good little vampire in the hopes of getting gigs in new york??

grimoaldo

Adriana, as long as AG and JK are both well and turn up, is what I look forward to most, followed by Rodelinda.
I do not feel I have your powers of endurance paddypig so a live Faust is not on the cards for me and am also looking forward to the Anna Bolena with Angela Meade, it will be interesting to see what she makes of the part.

iltenoredigrazia

Trips to NY and the Met comparatively more expensive every year. The economy goes down, the prices go up, the quality goes down.

Much as I enjoy Kaufmann’s singing, I’ll skip the soprano and the production. I’ll listen to it on the radio.

I’m going to Meade’s Anna and Elvira.

I’m disappointed by the Ring production so far but will go to Siegfried and Gotterdammerung. A new Ring production at the Met is too much of an event to miss it.

I’ll be going to the Don Giovanni, but not sure why I got the ticket.

Hopefully in the spring I’ll get to see Florez in L’Elissir. Khovanshinas don’t come along very often, so I’ll go to that too.

Gheorghiu is listed for a concert with the Washington Opera in the spring with Domingo conducting. If she comes to the US for that, she my show up for the Adriana too.